❤ Brno, moje láska ❤
Hey guys!:)
So far, there is no post about Brno yet, which is a shame, because it is a really cool city. So this is all about the place where I live (and then some more important stuff in the end, I apologise in advance for getting all emotional).
One of the most famous things abous Brno is the astronomical clock. It's in the centre at namesti svobody and is supposed to look like a bullet, although people keep associating it with something else :D There is also a labyrinth beneath the cabbage market that is very cool. And if you like bones and stuff, have a look at the ossuary at St.James and the capuchin crypt, in the latter you will even see lots of mummies!
Brno also has a castle. Its name is Špilberk and you have a fantastic view over the city. I've been to the casemates and would really not like to have to stay in there.
One of my favourite spots is Lužánky Park. It is in the centre, and in the summer you can just sit somewhere, have some ice cream, read, sleep and do nothing. This year we gave pancakes to people there (we broke the world record of the highest stack of pancakes!!) There is also a cool bioshop nearby and many cool restaurants, including lots of vegtarian or vegan places.
One of the main meeting spots is Česká, (or the clock at Ceska). Close to there is also Besední dům, where you can go to many amazing concerts, including the concerts of the Masaryk University!! 8.12.2018 and 6.3.2019, if you are interested, it is completely free:)
In spring and summer, there are some cute little car things selling ice cream. It is vegan and really delicious, and you get lots of eccentric flavours like fig, raspberry and cardamom, or carrot.
There are lots of festivals, starting from the documentary film festival jeden svět (the films are most of the time either in English or have subtitles), or the festival republika, which I unfortunately missed. There is also Ponavafest, which takes place around the retaurant ponava in Lzanky park. There is music, beer, food, some local artists and craftsmen, and just people to be with :)
Public transport is really good in Brno, I feel like I'm completely spoiled now. There are trams every few minutes, and at night you can go for a crazy bus ride on a nightbus which leaves every half an hour or every hour. Don't fall asleep in it though. People steal things.
Brno is the city of cafés. You will find one at every corner. My favourites are čajovna za zrcadlem, the best tea house and board game café I know, Panksy, the pancake house,Monogram Espresso Bar, where the coffee is supposed to be the best one in the whole city, Café Podnebi, Sestá Větev, and Ponava, the vegan restaurat/café in Luzanky park.
Ahh I love this city so much.
And now it is over. My EVS is officially at its end. I can't believe it. A year seemed so long, but really its not. It is so strange, I can't imagine not living here anymore. Tomorrow in the morning I leave, and with it I leave everything here behind. In the beginning it was so hard, I didn't know anything, the language, the city, the people, my workplace, and often I wondered why I made the decision to come here. But I made it. And now I have to go.
I learned so much in one year. I developed as a human being and I am different from the way I was when I came here. I traveled so much, I went to so many countries and cities I had not been to before. I learned to (sometimes blindly, eh, Yasmien?) trust people, I learned that sometimes you just have to try things and they might be fun after all. I learned that people are not always what they appear to be, be it in a good or in a bad way. I learned that sometimes you really have to put yourself first. I learned how to really take care of myself, I learned to say no, I learned to let go, I learned that opening up to people actually helps, and I discovered the true value of friendship. I made so many friends here! I have never become so close with people in the course of a single year. For some people I met here I would do anything.
I learned how to appreciate the little things. Every child I worked with this year taught me that. Sometimes I think too much like an adult, and nowadays, especially nowadays, there are so many things people forget about or don't consider important. But beauty is in especially the little things.
I learned a new language. True, my Czech is not perfect, but it is getting there. I will actually really miss this language. At the beginning I hated all the words without vowels and the cases and all those really difficult things about it, and now there is still so much I can't do, but I am on my way and I will try to keep learning it in Germany. I learned how to really listen. Sometimes, especially at the beginning, I was listening just for one or two words I knew so that I could guess what people were talking about. I learned that success doesn't come right away, you have to work for it. And I learned how difficult German is, I think it is even more difficult than Czech, and I admire everyone who just knows a little of it.
And lastly (well, not lastly, but I could go on forever and I need some sleep), I lived in a country I only would have seen from afar otherwise. I think that many German people, most of them, actually, do not know a lot about the Czech republic. Not really. There are others, of course, but many just know Prague, and then you hear things like that every second car gets stolen there. But what about all the other things? We are not that different, yet still people in Germany often are so prejudiced, and I really do not understand why. The same about Slovakia or Poland. We say we are European, but we don't know that much of it. This is another thing my EVS has brought me. I identify as a European now. I have not seen all of Europe, but a lot of it, and I think that not just geography unites us, but especially the curiosity and open-mindedness that brings us closer together and helps us to build bridges. EVS is not a thing you do, but a way of life, and I am so grateful that I have been able to experience this.
I want to thank all my friends here and in Germany, my family, everyone who has helped along the way. Thank you to my mentor Adéla, who became my friend instead and who I love so much that I am missing the words, and to my tutor Ad'a, who helped me during many rough times I had and kept challenging me, I am so happy we worked together. Thank you to Hanka, my amazing coordinator - I hope you enjoyed the year, I am truly sorry about all the extra work you had, and you are the best coordinator anyone could wish for. Thank you to my flatmates - we were quite chaotic, but I love you nonetheless - and thank you to my lovely coworkers, who made me feel like one of the group on the very first day. And thank you to everyone in the symphony orchestra of the Masaryk University, especially Martin - you taught me how to count by telling us which bar to start with, and other important words like ticho, for example - and then the other Martin, my amazing desk partner and friend, and all the viola players. You became my first Czech friends and you have no idea what a relief it was to find people I could relate and talk to when everything was new for me. I love you all so much! And I would love to stay with you. I guess it is time to go, and there are many exciting things awaiting me, but I will always keep you in my heart and I hope we will see each other soon.
Always,
Viola
So far, there is no post about Brno yet, which is a shame, because it is a really cool city. So this is all about the place where I live (and then some more important stuff in the end, I apologise in advance for getting all emotional).
One of the most famous things abous Brno is the astronomical clock. It's in the centre at namesti svobody and is supposed to look like a bullet, although people keep associating it with something else :D There is also a labyrinth beneath the cabbage market that is very cool. And if you like bones and stuff, have a look at the ossuary at St.James and the capuchin crypt, in the latter you will even see lots of mummies!
Brno also has a castle. Its name is Špilberk and you have a fantastic view over the city. I've been to the casemates and would really not like to have to stay in there.
One of my favourite spots is Lužánky Park. It is in the centre, and in the summer you can just sit somewhere, have some ice cream, read, sleep and do nothing. This year we gave pancakes to people there (we broke the world record of the highest stack of pancakes!!) There is also a cool bioshop nearby and many cool restaurants, including lots of vegtarian or vegan places.
One of the main meeting spots is Česká, (or the clock at Ceska). Close to there is also Besední dům, where you can go to many amazing concerts, including the concerts of the Masaryk University!! 8.12.2018 and 6.3.2019, if you are interested, it is completely free:)
In spring and summer, there are some cute little car things selling ice cream. It is vegan and really delicious, and you get lots of eccentric flavours like fig, raspberry and cardamom, or carrot.
There are lots of festivals, starting from the documentary film festival jeden svět (the films are most of the time either in English or have subtitles), or the festival republika, which I unfortunately missed. There is also Ponavafest, which takes place around the retaurant ponava in Lzanky park. There is music, beer, food, some local artists and craftsmen, and just people to be with :)
Public transport is really good in Brno, I feel like I'm completely spoiled now. There are trams every few minutes, and at night you can go for a crazy bus ride on a nightbus which leaves every half an hour or every hour. Don't fall asleep in it though. People steal things.
Brno is the city of cafés. You will find one at every corner. My favourites are čajovna za zrcadlem, the best tea house and board game café I know, Panksy, the pancake house,Monogram Espresso Bar, where the coffee is supposed to be the best one in the whole city, Café Podnebi, Sestá Větev, and Ponava, the vegan restaurat/café in Luzanky park.
Brněnská přehrada
my favourite clock <3
at a concert
náměstí svobdy at around Christmas
THE TEA PLACE!!!
Lužánky park in winter
Brno hlavní nádraží at 5 in the morning
Ahh I love this city so much.
And now it is over. My EVS is officially at its end. I can't believe it. A year seemed so long, but really its not. It is so strange, I can't imagine not living here anymore. Tomorrow in the morning I leave, and with it I leave everything here behind. In the beginning it was so hard, I didn't know anything, the language, the city, the people, my workplace, and often I wondered why I made the decision to come here. But I made it. And now I have to go.
I learned so much in one year. I developed as a human being and I am different from the way I was when I came here. I traveled so much, I went to so many countries and cities I had not been to before. I learned to (sometimes blindly, eh, Yasmien?) trust people, I learned that sometimes you just have to try things and they might be fun after all. I learned that people are not always what they appear to be, be it in a good or in a bad way. I learned that sometimes you really have to put yourself first. I learned how to really take care of myself, I learned to say no, I learned to let go, I learned that opening up to people actually helps, and I discovered the true value of friendship. I made so many friends here! I have never become so close with people in the course of a single year. For some people I met here I would do anything.
I learned how to appreciate the little things. Every child I worked with this year taught me that. Sometimes I think too much like an adult, and nowadays, especially nowadays, there are so many things people forget about or don't consider important. But beauty is in especially the little things.
I learned a new language. True, my Czech is not perfect, but it is getting there. I will actually really miss this language. At the beginning I hated all the words without vowels and the cases and all those really difficult things about it, and now there is still so much I can't do, but I am on my way and I will try to keep learning it in Germany. I learned how to really listen. Sometimes, especially at the beginning, I was listening just for one or two words I knew so that I could guess what people were talking about. I learned that success doesn't come right away, you have to work for it. And I learned how difficult German is, I think it is even more difficult than Czech, and I admire everyone who just knows a little of it.
And lastly (well, not lastly, but I could go on forever and I need some sleep), I lived in a country I only would have seen from afar otherwise. I think that many German people, most of them, actually, do not know a lot about the Czech republic. Not really. There are others, of course, but many just know Prague, and then you hear things like that every second car gets stolen there. But what about all the other things? We are not that different, yet still people in Germany often are so prejudiced, and I really do not understand why. The same about Slovakia or Poland. We say we are European, but we don't know that much of it. This is another thing my EVS has brought me. I identify as a European now. I have not seen all of Europe, but a lot of it, and I think that not just geography unites us, but especially the curiosity and open-mindedness that brings us closer together and helps us to build bridges. EVS is not a thing you do, but a way of life, and I am so grateful that I have been able to experience this.
I want to thank all my friends here and in Germany, my family, everyone who has helped along the way. Thank you to my mentor Adéla, who became my friend instead and who I love so much that I am missing the words, and to my tutor Ad'a, who helped me during many rough times I had and kept challenging me, I am so happy we worked together. Thank you to Hanka, my amazing coordinator - I hope you enjoyed the year, I am truly sorry about all the extra work you had, and you are the best coordinator anyone could wish for. Thank you to my flatmates - we were quite chaotic, but I love you nonetheless - and thank you to my lovely coworkers, who made me feel like one of the group on the very first day. And thank you to everyone in the symphony orchestra of the Masaryk University, especially Martin - you taught me how to count by telling us which bar to start with, and other important words like ticho, for example - and then the other Martin, my amazing desk partner and friend, and all the viola players. You became my first Czech friends and you have no idea what a relief it was to find people I could relate and talk to when everything was new for me. I love you all so much! And I would love to stay with you. I guess it is time to go, and there are many exciting things awaiting me, but I will always keep you in my heart and I hope we will see each other soon.
Always,
Viola
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